Use guide words

  • Guide Words are the words listed at the top of a dictionary page that help users find the range of words on that page. They are usually the first and last words on the page.

  • Locating Words: Guide words help users quickly find the section of the dictionary where a specific word is located.
  • Understanding Word Range: They show the range of words included on that particular page.

  • Identify the First and Last Words: Check the guide words at the top of the dictionary page to understand the range of words on that page.
  • Compare Your Word: Compare the word you are looking for with the guide words. If your word falls between the guide words alphabetically, it is on that page.

  • If the guide words on a page are “apple” and “banana,” and you are looking for the word “appliance,” you know it will be on that page because “appliance” falls alphabetically between “apple” and “banana.”

  • Dictionary Scavenger Hunt: Give students a list of words and ask them to find them using the guide words.
  • Guide Word Match: Provide students with pages from a dictionary with missing guide words. Have them fill in the correct guide words.

  • Other Reference Materials: Explain that guide words are not only used in dictionaries but also in other reference materials like encyclopedias and indexes.

  • Efficiency: Using guide words helps save time and improves efficiency when searching for words or information in a dictionary.

let’s practice!